Maurice Ravel and Gabriel Fauré each contributed a single string quartet to the chamber music repertoire, but both works are masterful reflections of their distinct musical voices and the broader evolution of French music in the early 20th century.
Ravel’s String Quartet in F major, composed in 1903, stands as a defining work of French impressionism in music. Influenced by his teacher Fauré and Debussy’s quartet from 1893, Ravel’s quartet is nevertheless strikingly original. The piece follows the traditional four-movement structure, but with bold harmonic language, refined orchestration for strings, and rhythmic innovation. The first movement is lyrical and elegant, while the second features pizzicato and dynamic contrasts that create a vibrant, almost playful texture. The third movement offers deep introspection, and the final movement reintroduces themes in a whirling, virtuosic conclusion.
In contrast, Gabriel Fauré’s String Quartet in E minor, Op.121 is a late work, completed in 1924, shortly before his death. It was his only string quartet, and it reflects a more introspective, spiritual tone. Fauré, already nearly deaf and physically weakened, poured into the music a sense of serenity and resignation. The three-movement structure (unusual for a quartet) avoids virtuosic display in favor of subtle textures and modal harmonies. The work unfolds slowly, with long, flowing lines and a remarkable economy of means, demonstrating his mature mastery of form and expression.
Together, Ravel’s and Fauré’s quartets represent two ends of a stylistic spectrum: Ravel’s vibrant, youthful exploration of sound and structure contrasts with Fauré’s meditative farewell. Both works, however, reveal the expressive depth and refinement that define French chamber music at its finest.
As an important and substantial bonus to this recording we hear Ravel’s Introduction & Allegro for flute, harp, clarinet and string quartet, a highly original and attractive work.
Played by the Quartetto Nous, the Italian string quartet also engaged in the recording of the complete Shostakovich string quartets for Brilliant Classics, to great critical acclaim.
